Dubbed the “future of Scottish stand-up”, Connor Burns’ burgeoning reputation as “one to watch” was cemented at the 2023 Fringe when he sold out his entire run barely a week after the brochure launch in June.
This year, the Fringe run of his ‘1994’ show sold out just as fast, and he added extra shows, selling close to 8,000 tickets in his home city of Edinburgh throughout August.
1994 sees Connor pose the question “was everything better really back in the day?” Stemming from looking back at his parents’ generation and what the world was like for them growing up, he explores how pop culture began in the 1950’s and how it has continued to warp our minds of the last 75 years. Connor dives into everyday moments – like trips to the barber and the joys (and heartbreaks) of Scottish football while asking the big question: was everything really better back in the day?
The comedian is playing both Leicester and Nottingham this week.
He will be performing at Leicester’s Big Difference on February 13 and Just The Tonic in Nottingham on February 14.
SitM managed to catch up with the wee lad before he takes to the East Midlands stages.
Q: You’re about to hit the road with your show 1994 (named after your year of birth) in which you talk about turning 30 – why did you decide to write a show about the milestone?
A: I think 30 is the first time I’ve turned an age and felt different. My parents are in their 70s now and I have nieces and nephews who are teenagers and I just wanted to explore the different challenges that each of us face and it turns out there’s a lot of funny in that.
Q: Do you really think times were better in the ‘good old days’ – or is our perception of the past tinged with nostalgia?
A: I think we definitely remember things fondly but now at 30 I can feel myself looking back on my childhood and only seeing the great bits. So I guess that’s just what getting older is.
Q: Let’s talk 90s artists. Were you more Oasis or Blur? Or were you more Spice Girls?
A: It’s funny I definitely rebelled against Oasis because my older brother was obsessed with them and you always wanna be different from your siblings. So I got into heavier stuff like Metallica etc. as an adult now though I will absolutely scream sing “Don’t Look Back in Anger” at karaoke.
Q: Which is funnier: your best joke, or Scotland’s chances of ever winning the World Cup?
A: First of all…that’s very cheeky. What I will say is if we ever do win it we won’t bang on about it the way the English do about 66. Deal?
Q: I hear you have a fear of Swifties can you elaborate?
A: As we all should… I live near a stadium that she played on her Eras tour and let me tell you the Swifties are viscous and organised. You can hear the story in the show!
Q: Your show covers pop culture all the way from the 1950s to today. Do you have a favourite era? Or a favourite iconic cultural moment?
A: I talk a bit about Jimi Hendrix in the show and I think that era of music and culture was so exciting. It’s also nice to see a time where pop stars had to be super talented musicians…oh, how times change.
Q: You are embarking on a 40+ date UK tour – how have you prepared for being on the road for so long?
A: Any comic on the road will tell you that you get it down to a fine art. Wether it’s books,podcasts, music you need to learn how to kill time fruitfully. I also make myself goto thegym whenever I can on the road to counteract the amount of rubbish roadside meals. Oh and ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK THE HOTEL ROOM FOR CHARGERS BEFORE YOU CHECK OUT.
Q: You’re still relatively new to stand up comedy–with your rapid success in the industry, what’s your secret to on-stage confidence?
A: I’ve worked a bunch of jobs before Comedy that I really didn’t like. I guess the confidence comes from the thought that even a bad night on stage is better than most days in a job that makes you miserable. Once you realise that you tend to relax and have fun on stage.
Q: Who are your inspirations in comedy?
A: I think any Scottish comic owes a debt of gratitude to Billy Connolly. Outside of that I love a lot of American stand ups. I think there’s a level of brutal honesty from the American scene that appeals to me. If you can get the audience to laugh at something that they wouldn’t usually admit being able to relate to, I think that’s really special.
